AMRITSAR: A retired professor of Punjab Agriculture University has suggested the SGPC to identify decaying historical trees having religious importance in the state and constitute a team for their revival.

J S Bal, who retired from the university after 34 years of service, had been instrumental in rejuvenating over 400 years old historical ber plants at the Golden Temple.

Bal said he had already visited Anandpur Sahib and Sultanpur Lodhi to carry out pruning, removal of dead wood and required sprays on the historical ber, pipla and bohar trees.

“I feel there is an urgent need to take care of decaying historical plants across the state as we have been doing at the Golden Temple for the past 18 years,” said he.

Bal has total 307 publications to his credit and had last month attended 2nd International Jujube Symposium at Xinzheng, Henan, China and presented his reports on ber.

In Sikhism, many gurdwaras have been named after different species of trees like Ber Sahib, Tahli Sahib, Neem Sahib, Jandh Sahib, etc.

He said that ber plants often come under attack by lac insects, so they had to use spray. “It will be a great service to preserve our historical trees from vanishing. Though I have retired, I volunteer my services for the same,” said Bal.

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